1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automotive lock opening and closing apparatus provided with a closing function for forcibly moving a lock device for an automotive open and close body from a half-latched position to a full-latched position by driving a motor and an opening function for releasing the engagement of the lock device with a striker.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Applications No. Hei. 11-373609 and 373610, which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
An automotive lock opening and closing apparatus as described above (for example, JP-B-5-27748) is known which comprises a lock main body having a latch for engaging with and disengaging from a striker and a locking plate for engaging with and disengaging from the latch and an output mechanism having a rotating member which can rotate from a neutral position in two directions, wherein the engagement of the latch with the locking plate is released when the rotating member is allowed to rotate in one direction from the neutral position and the latch is moved from a half-latched position to a full-latched position when the rotating member is allowed to rotate in the other direction.
In a conventional automotive lock opening and closing apparatus as described above, however, since the latch and the locking plate of the lock main body are connected to the rotating member of the output mechanism via the connecting member such as a rod or the like, respectively, there are caused problems that the connected constituent components get loosened, thereby making it difficult to obtain the positive operation of the apparatus and that the entire size of the apparatus is made large, thereby putting limitations on the mounting space.
Further, in the conventional automotive lock opening and closing apparatus as described above, in order to make common use of a motor as a motor for moving the latch on which a large magnitude of load is acting and as a motor for moving the locking plate which can be moved with a small magnitude of force, a high-output motor is used. Also, the connecting mechanism for connecting the rotating member with the locking plate or the opening mechanism is made rigid in construction so as to bear a large magnitude of load.
This results in the opening mechanism of excessive quality and the output mechanism which is large in size and heavy in weight and increases the production cost.
The present invention was made in view of the problems inherent in the conventional art, and an object thereof is to provide an automotive lock opening and closing apparatus which can be made simple in construction and small in size and which can obtain the positive operation thereof.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automotive lock opening and closing apparatus which can make an opening mechanism, as well as an output mechanism small in size and light in weight.
According to the present invention, there is provided an automotive lock opening and closing apparatus comprising an output mechanism, the output mechanism comprising: a lock main body having a latch for engaging with a striker and a locking plate for engaging with the latch for preventing rotation of the latch; a motor rotating clockwise and counterclockwise, wherein an engagement of the latch with the locking plate is released when the motor is allowed to rotate clockwise and the latch is moved from a half-latched position to a full-latched position when the motor is allowed to rotate counterclockwise; an opening lever for releasing the engagement of the locking plate with the latch by being caused to engage with the locking plate when the motor is allowed to rotate clockwise; and a closing lever adapted to rotate the latch from the half-latched position to the full-latched position by being caused to engage with the latch when the motor is allowed to rotate counterclockwise, wherein the lock main body has secured thereto a base plate to which the motor is fixed and to which the opening lever and the closing lever are pivotally secured, respectively.
In the above an automotive lock opening and closing apparatus, the output mechanism may be pivotally secured to the base plate and further comprises a rotating member which can rotate from a neutral position in two opening and closing directions when the motor is allowed to rotate clockwise and counterclockwise, and wherein the rotating member and the opening lever and closing lever are linked with each other, respectively.
Preferably, the rotating member and the closing lever are disposed on one side of the base plate on the lock main. body, while the opening lever is disposed on the other side of the base plate, and wherein the opening lever and the closing lever-or the. rotating member are linked with each other via a pin penetrating through the base plate.
Further, according to the present invention, there is provided an automotive lock opening and closing apparatus comprising an output mechanism, the output mechanism comprising: a lock main body having a latch for engaging with a striker and a locking plate for engaging with the latch for preventing rotation of the latch; a motor rotating clockwise and counterclockwise, wherein an engagement of the latch with the locking plate is released when the motor is allowed to rotate clockwise and the latch is moved from a half-latched position to a full-latched position when the motor is allowed to rotate counterclockwise; a closing lever adapted to rotate from a neutral position in two opening and closing directions when the motor is allowed to rotate clockwise and counterclockwise and to rotate the latch from the half-latched position to the full-latched position when rotating in the closing direction and having an engagement portion at a free end portion thereof; and an opening lever having an engagement arm adapted to rotate from a waiting position to an open position by the engagement portion when the closing lever rotates from the neutral position thereof in the opening direction and to allow the engagement portion to move idly after having reached the open position and an opening portion adapted to release the engagement of the locking plate with the latch by virtue of the rotation of the engagement arm.
In the above automotive lock opening and closing mechanism a sliding contact edge may be provided at a distal end of the engagement arm of the opening lever for preventing the rotation of the opening lever for restoration toward the waiting position by being brought into contact with the engagement portion when the engagement portion moves idly.
Preferably, the sliding contact edge is formed so as to form an arc-like configuration arcing around a rotational center of the closing lever when the opening lever is located at the open position.
Features and advantages of the invention will become understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments described in conjunction with the attached drawings.